Pottery
by Fake Bliss
Summary: Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata are partnered for an art project. Hinata finds Sasuke intriguing. Light SasuHina. One-sided NaruHina. Highschool AU.


"Oi! Sasuke! Looks like we're partners again."

Sasuke exhaled slowly, trying very hard not the crush the sides of the table. Of all the idiots to be stuck with, it had to be the worst of all. Sasuke eyed the blonde as he approached. Naruto, nearly knocking over several people in his merriment, scrambled into the seat next to Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed. Figures he would get stuck with a klutz during the pottery unit. Resting his cheek in his palm, Sasuke waited as Iruka called out the rest of the pairs for the project.

"- Sakura and Chouji. And I think that's - oh wait. We have an odd number. Hinata! You can join..." Iruka scanned the classroom. "Sasuke and Naruto over in the back." He patted her back softly.

Sasuke sighed again and sucked his teeth at the sight of the already blushing Hinata. _How annoying._ Sasuke's eyes followed the girl as she drew up a chair. _At least she's quiet._

"Hello, Naruto. S-Sasuke." Hinata smiled softly, pinching her fingers together. Sasuke grunted in response.

"Oh yeah! We got Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed. "Our team's art is going to make the rest of yours look like trash!"

"Shut up, Naruto!" barked Kiba from two rows in front of them. "Hinata's only there to make up for the fact that you suck at art."

"Now, now. That's enough," Iruka said, patting the air. He cleared his throat. "For our first group project of the year, you and your partner will each create a piece of pottery that correlates with the style of a certain culture and time period, which I will hand out in a second. Your individual pieces must somehow coordinate with each other. Such as, for example, a teapot and teacup. And no, you may not use that example." Several groans echoed throughout the room. Iruka smiled.

"I want you to use your brains. They aren't just reserved for math and science."

"But wait," Naruto said. "Our group has three people. Does that mean we have to make three pieces?!"

"Yes, Naruto."

"But that's not fair!"

Iruka shook his head. "You have one extra person to help come up with ideas. It's perfectly fair."

Kiba snorted. "I wouldn't count on Naruto's mind."

"Hey!"

"I'll pass out your assignment and give you all the rest of the period to brainstorm. But when we meet again next week, I want you ready to start working. You can take out your phones to look up the subject I hand you. Feel free to brainstorm ideas in your sketchbooks," Iruka said.

"What are we gonna do." Naruto sank back in his chair.

"I-I'm s-sure we'll think of s-s-something," Hinata supplied.

"Tsk. Whatever just don't screw this up, idiot." Sasuke glared at Naruto as Iruka handed him a slip of paper. He laid it on the table for his partners to see.

_Ancient Greece_

_Orientalizing Period_

_700-600 BC_

Sasuke pursed his lips. This would be a bit challenging.

"Are you kidding me?!" Naruto had already googled the pottery. He shoved his phone in Sasuke's face. It was the image of a heavily detailed wine pitcher that depicted rams, griffins, and various geometric shapes. "How are we supposed to make that?!"

Sasuke brushed Naruto's hand aside. "We don't have to _recreate_ the art, idiot. We just need to use it as inspiration."

"Oh." Naruto turned to Hinata, still holding out the phone. "What do you think, Hinata?"

Hinata blinked, her mouth agape. She was speechless for several moments. "Um...I...we...w-we can do it." She hid behind her hands.

Sasuke sighed, dragging a hand down his face. He couldn't _wait_ till this was over.

* * *

"Hinata!"

Hinata turned. Naruto was calling her from down the hall. She blushed, weaving through the crowd of students to his side.

"Yes, Naruto?"

Naruto flung an arm over her shoulders, startling her. Completely oblivious, Naruto said, "Sasuke told me to get you so we can talk about the art project."

"Oh." Hinata dared to peek up at him then quickly looked away when she caught his eye. "So wh-where are we going?" Naruto steered her towards the staircases. Hinata blushed harder. He still had an arm around her.

"The auditorium," he said, pausing. "They don't let me in the library anymore." Naruto laughed uncomfortably.

Hinata smiled. "Okay."

* * *

Sasuke greeted Naruto with an annoyed look. "What took you so long?"

Naruto grinned, scratching the back of his head. "So there was a long line for the microwave. Then I had to wait for the ramen to cook. Then I had to eat it. _Then_ I was on my way, but then I remembered I forgot to drink milk-"

"Enough," Sasuke said with a wave of his hand. He looked at Hinata, holding his gaze for a couple seconds. Hinata gulped. Sasuke had a very intimidating presence.

Naruto pouted. "If you're so mad, you get Hinata next time."

A weight dropped on Hinata's chest. _Am I really so bothersome?_

"Whatever," Sasuke said. "Let's get started." He walked past rows of worn-out wooden seats to sit on the stage. Naruto and Hinata followed suit.

"Since we got absolutely nothing done yesterday," Sasuke glared at Naruto, "We better think of something now. I don't have time to worry about art. Have you thought of anything?" He asked the question to Hinata, who had currently been staring at the half a foot of space between her and Naruto.

She bit her lip. "I-I was thinking about decorative pieces," she said. "Like a vase, a water pitcher, and a presentation tray."

"That doesn't sound too hard," Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him. He knew Naruto was already thinking of half-assing it with the tray. Sasuke looked back at Hinata. "It sounds doable, considering the amount of time Iruka is giving us. We might not get as good a grade if it's too simple though."

There was a pause.

"W-We could p-paint an intricate un-un-underglaze before firing," Hinata said. "But keep the actual forms simple."

Sasuke nodded. "We should sketch what each will looked like and the patterns we want to paint on them. The problem that remains, however," he turned to look at the boy beside him, "Is that Naruto can't paint worth a damn."

"Hey!" Naruto said, looking up from his phone. His screen was set on a very questionable tumblr post involving a teenage girl, a silk screen, and a horse. "I can paint."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Sure."

"I mean it!"

"Oh, please. That 'samurai' you tried to paint last quarter looked like a snowman with tennis rackets for arms."

"Why you-" Naruto lunged at Sasuke. Before Naruto could secure a hold on Sasuke's neck, Hinata yelped, "Wait!"

The two boys turned to her. She swallowed. "I...I could...dr-draw the patterns on N-Naruto's project s-so he can just paint it."

Sasuke grunted in approval then shoved Naruto off him. "Idiot. Your abilities do include color by number, right?"

Naruto mumbled something under his breath. Sasuke sighed. "Hinata, you'll have less time to work on your part of the project."

Hinata smiled softly. "Th-that's okay. I can draw pretty fast."

Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever."

* * *

Hinata loved the opportunity to work with Naruto; Sasuke could tell. She lit up at the beginning of every art class when Naruto waltzed in seconds before the late bell rang. It was ridiculous. But since Sasuke was always the first to arrive in class, he reserved the middle chair at their group table for Hinata so she wouldn't have to peer around him every time she wanted a peek at Naruto. Her infatuation was something Sasuke couldn't fathom, but a strange part of him found it a little endearing.

On this particular Tuesday, Sasuke arrived in the art classroom even earlier than usual (partially because Karin had this annoying habit of figuring out where he'd be at any moment in time) to squeeze in more time for his vase. He picked up the scraps of where he'd left off last Thursday and walked back to his seat, snatching up a few carving tools. He wet his hands with his water bottle and started coiling some clay to heighten the vase. It was a bit to short for his liking. He worked for a couple minutes in silence. Then a soft "Oh" made him look up.

Hinata was at the door. She backed into the doorway. "I'm sorry to dis-disturb…"

Sasuke looked back at his work. "It's fine. It's not my classroom anyway." His shoulders relaxed.

Hinata padded over to the back display where the projects were stored, brought hers to the table, and sat right down next to Sasuke. He glanced at her. It was interesting, really, that she always chose the middle rather than the end chair. She didn't have to sit next to him to sit next to Naruto. Sasuke eyed her already finished clay pitcher. She'd finished a perfectly crafted vessel in the three days they'd had to work. While most people, including Sasuke, had scrapped their projects several times, Hinata had finished on her first try. Now all she had to do was paint the glaze.

Sasuke turned back to his vase. "Do you sculpt at home?"

The sound of his voice nearly made Hinata nearly the tin of glaze in her hand. "I...yes."

"Then at this rate, you'll be done by the end of next class." He looked over to find Hinata staring at him, as if she couldn't believe he was talking to her.

She blushed and looked down at her hands. "No. I-I like to take m-m-my time when I paint."

"I see."

The conversation ended there.

The longer they worked, the more Sasuke found himself pausing to glance Hinata. He'd always been a bit envious of her artistic prowess. He watched as she gingerly handled her pitcher. It was as if a pinch could shatter it. She bent over it for a different angle, and Sasuke couldn't tear his eyes away from the image of her soft expression, of the sight of her long black hair running over her shoulder. He shook his head, focusing back on his work. Sasuke didn't waste his time ogling girls.

* * *

Since then, Hinata and Sasuke met every Tuesday and Thursday during lunch, the period before art, to work together. Despite her initial impressions of Sasuke, Hinata was enjoying herself. It was very calming to work alongside someone that didn't make her hand tremble every time she lifted a paintbrush. During their occasional and brief conversations, Hinata learned that Sasuke actually admired her art, found herself reminding Sasuke to douse his vase in water, and was not above giggling softly whenever Sasuke cursed because he accidentally painted with the wrong color. Today, the topic was food.

"I'm not a sweets-person."

"Oh." Hinata briefly recalled Sasuke's appalled reactions when several girls gave him chocolates last Valentine's Day.

It was the last Tuesday before the project was due, and Sasuke had already fired his vase. Even though he was technically done with the project a week ago, Sasuke sat with Hinata during lunch anyway and messed with a handful of clay while she worked. Helping Naruto with his tray during class took a lot more time than Hinata anticipated; so she really needed the free period. She was surprised that Sasuke kept showing up but delighted at the company. Sasuke supplied an interesting contrast to Naruto. She was intrigued. She understood why so many girls liked him.

Hinata took a moment from painting speckles on her flowers to glance at Sasuke. Their eyes met and Hinata immediately looked away, embarrassed. "S-So what do you l-l-like to eat?"

Sasuke thought for a moment. "Onigiri."

Hinata just finishing the last dots of her underglaze when the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch.

* * *

The following Thursday, Iruka had placed the finished pieces on display throughout the room. Hinata rushed over to hers, delighted. She ran her fingers over the painted images, happy that the shiny overglaze she had dabbled on the heliotrope flowers had come out perfectly.

One by one, students came into the classroom. Several people walked up to compliment Hinata, and one "oh my god" and "that's so good" drew the attention of the entire class. She was never accustomed to compliments, and every single one of them was immensely flattering. Hinata shrank into herself as she was blown with compliments, thanking people over and over again. Naruto had even said 'it was the best thing he'd ever seen'. Hinata blushed and turned away to hide it when she made eye contact with Sasuke, who remained in his seat outside the throng of people surrounding her. He shot her a look.

"Settle down. Back to your seats." Iruka dispersed the crowd and began making announcements about presentations or... something. Hinata wasn't paying attention. Her cheeks in her hands, she continued to blush, unsure of what just made her heart flutter.


End file.
